Central City Opera’s programs are designed to support academic standards and curriculum while engaging children with original, fast-paced and interactive storytelling through song. These engagement programs are designed to come to you, in all areas of Colorado and Wyoming. Please note that these programs are not performed at the Opera House in Central City; we bring the performance to your venue. We work directly with educators, community leaders, students and parents to make these offerings relevant, educational and entertaining.

Interactive Programs for ages 4-11

These fast-paced, imaginative programs performed by 3 singers with piano support K-6 curriculum and standards. Children join singers on the stage to create scenes and tell stories through song.

Mozart & Co.

“A company ‘specially organized to sing and play and little opera for YOU.”

Mozart and fellow composers mined the riches of great literature and fairy tales to create some of the world’s comic masterworks. Children are invited to help bring to life scenes from hilarious stories originally envisioned by the likes of Shakespeare and the Brothers Grimm, and to learn about the magic of telling stories through song.

“From lumberjacks to culture, singing and adventure; come to Central City where the singing is so pretty.”

With funny and fascinating opera characters as your tour guides, discover Central City’s Eureka Street! You’ll meet prospectors, lumberjacks and divas from stories by Rossini, Shakespeare and other favorites. Selected students join the cast and, with help from the audience, discover all kinds of golden nuggets about great stories, history, music and rhythm.

Grades 3-8

How the West was Sung

“Along with dreams, they brought their songs; that’s how the West was sung.”

Frontier history comes alive through the stories of Leadville Silver King Horace Tabor and his beautiful wife Baby Doe; Molly Brown, known as Unsinkable; Clara Brown, freed slave and Colorado pioneer; and other assorted western characters.

Middle School/High School

En Mis Palabras/In My Own Words

“I’ll never be free unless I dare to be me.”

An original one-act bilingual opera, En Mis Palabras addresses the universal theme of adolescent development — finding your own voice and learning who you are amid parental expectations and peer influences. Fifteen-year-old Ana Maria feels stifled by her strict father; he is bewildered by her wish to be herself. Wise Abuela and brother Rodolfo try to help but it takes a family crisis to bring father and daughter to the beginning of acceptance and understanding. A Spanish/English resource guide explores cultural and family traditions, immigration and Latino history in Colorado and includes lesson plans in language arts and social studies.

“The experience of building an opera and performing it was life changing for many of my fifth grade students.”- Music Teacher, Southmoor Elementary, Denver

Students create and perform a musical story. The process of researching/scripting a story and writing/composing lyrics and music develops problem-solving and team skills through practical applications of core disciplines like math, reading/writing and social studies. Experienced Teaching Artists assist in applying methods from Opera America’s Music! Words! Opera! curriculum. Teachers must participate in our Music! Words! Opera! Workshop in order to qualify for this program.

New & Noteworthy

The secret to Central City Opera's success: Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program which develops young opera singers to launch their careers. The General/Artistic Director talks about the business and the joy of opera.
This story is from Arts District episode 506.Learn More »